[Effects of organic fertilizer from traditional Chinese medicine residues on growth and soil microbial community of Salvia miltiorrhiza by metagenomic technique].

Soil microbiome is a key evaluation index of soil health. Previous studies have shown that organic fertilizer from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)residues can improve the yield and quality of cultivated traditional Chinese medicinal materials. However, there are few reports on the effects of organic fertilizer from TCM residues on soil microbiome. Therefore, on the basis of evaluating the effects of organic fertilizer from TCM residues on the yield and quality of cultivated Salvia miltiorrhiza, the metagenomic sequencing technique was used to study the effects of organic fertilizer from TCM residues on rhizosphere microbiome community and function of cultivated S. miltiorrhiza. The results showed that:(1) the application of organic fertilizer from TCM residues promoted the growth of S. miltiorrhiza and the accumulation of active components, and the above-ground and underground dry weight and fresh weight of S. miltiorrhiza increased by 371.4%, 288.3%, 313.4%, and 151.9%. The increases of rosmarinic acid and salvianolic acid B were 887.0% and 183.0%.(2)The application of organic fertilizer from TCM residues significantly changed the rhizosphere bacterial and fungal community structures, and the microbial community composition was significantly different.(3)The relative abundance of soil-beneficial bacteria, such as Nitrosospira multiformis, Bacillus subtilis, Lysobacter enzymogenes, and Trichoderma was significantly increased by the application of organic fertilizer from TCM residues.(4)KEGG function prediction analysis showed that metabolism-related microorganisms were more easily enriched in the soil environment after organic fertilizer application. The abundance of functional genes related to nitrification and denitrification could also be increased after the application of organic fertilizer from TCM residues. The results of this study provide guidance for the future application of organic fertilizer from TCM residues in the cultivation of traditio-nal Chinese medicinal materials and enrich the content of green cultivation technology of traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

Efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics for the prevention of neutropenic fever in patients with multiple myeloma receiving high-dose cyclophosphamide for stem cell mobilization.

High-dose cyclophosphamide (HD-Cy) (3 g/m2) plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a very effective regimen for peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) mobilization. Unfortunately, it is associated with an increased risk of neutropenic fever (NF). We analyzed the effect of NF on PBSC apheresis results and the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics for the prevention of NF associated with HD-Cy plus G-CSF for PBSC mobilization in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). First, patients were divided into NF ( +) and NF ( -) groups according to whether they suffered from NF during mobilization. Second, we divided patients into an antibiotic prophylaxis group and a nonantibiotic prophylaxis group according to whether antibiotic prophylaxis was used during the mobilization period. Our study showed that NF( +) patients (n = 44) had lower CD34 + cell dose collection (median 2.60 versus 5.34 × 106/kg, P < 0.001) and slower neutrophil engraftment and platelet engraftment (median 11 versus 10 days, P = 0.002, and median 13 versus 11 days, P = 0.043, respectively) than NF( -) patients (n = 234). Of note, the nonantibiotic prophylaxis group patients (n = 30) had a 26.7% incidence of NF. In the patients receiving antibiotic prophylaxis (n = 227), the incidence was reduced to 9.3% (P = 0.01). The antibiotic prophylaxis patients had higher CD34 + cell collection (median 5.41 versus 2.27 × 106/kg, P < 0.001) and lower hospitalization cost of mobilization ($ median 3108.02 versus 3702.39, p = 0.012). Thus, our results demonstrate that NF is associated with lower CD34 + cell collection and that antibiotic prophylaxis can reduce the incidence of NF and improve stem cell mobilization and collection outcomes, which reduces the hospitalization cost of mobilization.

Identifying Preferred Appearance and Functional Requirements of Aged Care Robots Among Older Chinese Immigrants: Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Older Chinese immigrants constitute the largest older Asian ethnic population in New Zealand. Aging in a foreign land can be complex, presenting increasing challenges for gerontology scholars, practitioners, and policy makers. Older Chinese immigrants are more susceptible to experiencing loneliness and social isolation compared to native older people, primarily due to language, transportation, and cultural barriers. These factors subsequently impact their physical and mental health. With advancements in robotic technology, aged care robots are being applied to support older people with their daily living needs. However, studies on using robots with older immigrants living in the community are sparse. Their preferences for the appearance and function of aged care robots are unclear, which impacts the acceptance and usability of robots, highlighting the need for a user-centered design approach. Objective: This study aims to explore older Chinese immigrants' needs and preferences toward the appearance and function of aged care robots and to examine their relationships with the demographic characteristics of participants. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used in this study, which was undertaken between March and May 2020. A total of 103 participants completed a web-based survey. Results: The average age of participants was 68.7 (SD 5.5) years. The results suggest that 41.7% (n=43) of the 103 participants preferred a humanlike adult appearance, while 32% (n=33) suggested an animallike appearance. These participants reported higher scores in both rigorousness and friendliness compared to others who preferred different robot appearances. Participants expressed a greater preference for the functions of housework assistance (n=86, 83.5%), language translation (n=79, 76.7%), health monitoring (n=78, 75.7%), facial expressions (n=77, 74.8%), news reading (n=66, 64.1%), and security monitoring (n=65, 63.1%). These preferences were found to be significantly associated with marital status, financial status, and duration of immigration. Conclusions: To support immigrant populations to age well in a foreign country and address the growing shortage of health and social professionals, it is important to develop reliable robotic technology services that are tailored based on the needs and preferences of individuals. We collected and compared the perspectives of immigrant and nonimmigrant participants on using robots to support aging in place. The results on users' needs and preferences inform robotic technology services, indicating a need to prioritize older Chinese immigrants' preference toward aged care robots that perform housework assistance, language translation, and health and safety monitoring, and robots with humanlike features.

[Systematic identification of chemical forms of key terpene synthase in Cinnamomum camphora].

Cinnamomum camphora is an important economic tree species in China. According to the type and content of main components in the volatile oil of leaf, C. camphora were divided into five chemotypes, including borneol-type, camphor-type, linalool-type, cineole-type, and nerolidol-type. Terpene synthase(TPS) is the key enzyme for the formation of these compounds. Although several key enzyme genes have been identified, the biosynthetic pathway of(+)-borneol, which has the most economic value, has not been reported. In this study, nine terpenoid synthase genes CcTPS1-CcTPS9 were cloned through transcriptome analysis of four chemical-type leaves. After the recombinant protein was induced by Escherichia coli, geranyl pyrophosphate(GPP) and farnesyl pyrophosphate(FPP) were used as substrates for enzymatic reaction, respectively. Both CcTPS1 and CcTPS9 could catalyze GPP to produce bornyl pyrophosphate, which could be hydrolyzed by phosphohydrolase to obtain(+)-borneol, and the product of(+)-borneol accounted for 0.4% and 89.3%, respectively. Both CcTPS3 and CcTPS6 could catalyze GPP to generate a single product linalool, and CcTPS6 could also react with FPP to generate nerolidol. CcTPS8 reacted with GPP to produce 1,8-cineol(30.71%). Nine terpene synthases produced 9 monoterpene and 6 sesquiterpenes. The study has identified the key enzyme genes responsible for borneol biosynthesis in C. camphora for the first time, laying a foundation for further elucidating the molecular mechanism of chemical type formation and cultivating new varieties of borneol with high yield by using bioengineering technology.

Effects of Resistance Exercise on Cognitive Performance and Depressive Symptoms in Community-Dwelling Older Chinese Americans: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Previous literature has suggested physical exercise may improve cognitive impairments and mitigate depressive symptoms. However, few studies examined the impact of resistance exercise intervention on cognition and depression in older Chinese Americans. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the effects of resistance exercise training on cognitive performance and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older Chinese Americans. The study was a two-arm randomized controlled trial with pre-test/post-test design. Thirty older adults were randomly assigned into the resistance exercise intervention group or the wait-list control group. Participants' cognitive performance and depressive symptoms were evaluated at baseline (pre-test) and at 12 weeks (post-test). The results showed that there were significant differences between the intervention and control groups on changes in symptoms of depression, global cognitive function, visuospatial/executive functions, attention, language, and orientation. However, there were no significant differences between both groups on changes in naming, abstraction, and delayed recall domains. The findings of this study suggest that resistance exercise training has a positive impact on improving cognitive performance and depressive symptoms in older adults.

[Effect of Rhizophagus intraradices on growth of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

The study aimed to explore the effects of inoculation of Rhizophagus intraradices on the biomass, effective component content, and endogenous hormone content of Salvia miltiorrhiza through pot experiments. The number of leaves, plant height, dry weight of aboveground and underground parts, branch number, root number, root length, root diameter, and other biomass were mea-sured by weighing and counting methods. The content of salvianolic acid B, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, tanshinone Ⅰ, tanshinone Ⅱ_A, cryptotanshinone, and other effective components was determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography. The content of ABA and GA_3 was determined by triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The correlations between biomass and effective components and between effective components and plant hormones ABA and GA_3 were analyzed. The results showed that R. intraradices significan-tly increased the aboveground dry weight, leaf number, and root number of S. miltiorrhiza by 0.24-0.65 times, respectively. The content of salvianolic acid B and rosmarinic acid in the aboveground part and the content of salvianolic acid B, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, tanshinone Ⅰ, and tanshinone Ⅱ_A in the underground part were significantly increased by 0.44-1.78 times, respectively. R. intraradices infection significantly increased the GA_3/ABA values of aboveground and underground parts by 3.82 and 76.47 times, respectively. The correlation analysis showed that caffeic acid, the effective component of the aboveground part, was significantly positively correlated with plant height, tanshinone Ⅱ_A, the effective component of the underground part, was significantly positively correlated with biomass root number, cryptotanshinone, and dry weight, while rosmarinic acid was significantly negatively correlated with dry weight. There were significant positive correlations between cryptotanshinone and ABA, tanshinone Ⅱ_A and ABA and GA_3, and caffeic acid and GA_3. In conclusion, R. intraradices can promote the accumulation of biomass and secondary metabolites of S. miltiorrhiza and regulate the balance between plant hormones ABA and GA_3, thereby promoting the growth of S. miltiorrhiza.

[Effects of temperature and humidity on infection of Fusarium oxysporum in seedlings of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

Wilt disease is a major disease of cultivated Salvia miltiorrhiza, which is caused by Fusarium oxysporum. Since the infection process of F. oxysporum in plants is affected by environment factors, this study was conducted to reveal the relationship between disease severity and concentration of the pathogen in plants in the infection process of F. oxysporum in seedlings of S. miltiorrhiza by pot experiments and to reveal the effects of temperature and humidity on the infection process. The results showed that, after inoculation of S. miltiorrhiza seedlings with F. oxysporum, the pathogen in different parts was detected at different time, and it was first detected in substrates. With the continuous propagation of the pathogen(4-5 d), it gradually infected the roots and stems of the seedlings, and the plants had yellowing leaves and withering. The number of the pathogen reached the maximum in each part after 7-8 d, and then gradually decreased in the later stage of the disease. The concentration of the pathogen in substrates, roots and stems of S. miltiorrhiza showed a trend of decreasing after increasing with the aggravation of the disease and reached the maximum in the samples of moderate morbidity, while the concentration in the samples of severe morbidity decreased. In addition, the infection of F. oxysporum in seedlings of S. miltiorrhiza was affected by temperature and humidity. The suitable temperature was 25-30 ℃ and the suitable humidity was 80%-90%. This study could provide guidance for the experiments on pathogenicity of F. oxysporum, screening of biocontrol bacteria and controlling of wilt.

[Chemical and nutrient differences between medicinal material, residues, and residue compost of Moutan Cortex].

Moutan Cortex(MC) residues produced after the extraction of MC can be re-extracted for active components and used to produce organic fertilizer and animal feed. However, they are currently disposed as domestic waste, which pollutes the environment. This study analyzed the chemical composition of the medicinal material, residues, and residue compost of MC by UPLC-UV-Q-TOF-MS. Furthermore, the nutrient composition of MC residues and the residue compost was analyzed. The results showed that:(1)MC residues had lower content of chemicals than the medicinal material, and content of paeonol, gallic acid, and galloylglucose in MC residues were about 1/3 of that in the medicinal material. The content of chemicals were further reduced after residue composting, and the quantitative compounds were all below the limits of detection.(2)Compared with MC residues, the residue compost showed the total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, and organic matter content increasing by 122.67%, 31.32%, 120.39%, and 32.06%, respectively. Therefore, we concluded that the MC residues can be used to re-extract active compounds such as paeonol, gallic acid, and galloylglucose. The MC residue compost is a high-quality organic fertilizer containing minimal content of chemicals and can be widely used in the cultivation of Chinese medicinal herbs.

On-demand plerixafor added to high-dose cyclophosphamide and pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in the mobilization of patients with multiple myeloma: a treatment with high effectiveness, convenient, and affordable cost.

Objective: The combination of high-dose cyclophosphamide (HD-Cy) (3g/m2) plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and on-demand plerixafor (PXF) has been considered an effective mobilization regimen of patients with multiple myeloma(MM). However, the daily multi-injection regimen of G-CSF poses challenges. This study delves into the efficiency and cost implications of a novel approach, using HD-Cy alongside pegylated G-CSF (PEG G-CSF) and on-demand PXF. Unlike G-CSF, which necessitates daily injections, the half-life of PEG G-CSF extended allows for a single injection. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 350 MM patients, which were categorized based on their mobilization regimens: Cy+PEG G-CSF+/-PXF (n=66), Cy+PEG G-CSF (n=91), Cy+ G-CSF (n=169), and G-CSF+PXF (n=24). Results: Mobilization with Cy+PEG G-CSF+/-PXF(8.79)yielded a notably higher median CD34+ cell count compared to the other regimens: Cy+PEG G-CSF(4.96), Cy+G-CSF (4.65), and G-CSF+PXF (2.99) (P<0.001). The percentage of patients who achieved >6×106/kg CD34+ cells was significantly higher in the Cy+PEG G-CSF+/-PXF group (77.3%) than in the other mobilization regimens: Cy+PEG G-CSF (41.8%), Cy+ G-CSF (37.3%), and G-CSF+PXF (8.3%) (P<0.001). From a cost perspective, the Cy+PEG G-CSF+/-PXF approach was more economical than the G-CSF+PXF strategy but was marginally costlier than the other two methods. A multivariate assessment highlighted that the combination of Cy+PEG G-CSF with on-demand PXF had a superior potential to achieve the desired harvest (6×106/kg) compared to the Cy+PEG G-CSF protocol without PXF. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for each 1% increase in the probability of achieving a successful optimal harvest was $ 97.02 per patient. The incidence of neutropenic fever was 3.0% in the Cy+PEG G-CSF+/-PXF group. Conclusion: The combination of on-demand PXF with HD-Cy and PEG G-CSF offers a cost-effective approach with a high mobilization success rate, manageable side effects, and the convenience of fewer injections. It stands as a promising mobilization strategy for MM patients.

[Pathogenicity and induced systemic resistance of Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium dahlia to Salvia miltiorrhiza].

Salvia miltiorrhiza is a commonly used bulk medicinal material in China. Due to the increasing demand in recent years, the planting area is expanding. In the artificial cultivation of S. miltiorrhiza, continuous cropping obstacles are prominent, which has seriously restrained the growth of S. miltiorrhiza, resulted in serious root diseases, and affected the yield and quality of medicinal materials. The pathogen infection can induce plant resistance. Previously, this research group isolated Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium dahlia from the roots of diseased S. miltiorrhiza. In this study, 7 days after inoculation of S. miltiorrhiza with F. oxysporum(Foc group) and V. dahlia(Vd group), the incidence rates in S. miltiorrhiza were 48% and 26%, respectively. Both the two pathogens significantly reduced the aboveground biomass of S. miltiorrhiza. Five days after inoculation, the activities of defensive enzymes, such as peroxidase(POD), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase(PAL), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and polyphenol oxidase(PPO) reached the peak. The enzyme activity of the Foc group was significantly higher than that of the Vd group. Three days after inoculation, the expression of defense genes SmPDF2.1 and SmPR10 peaked and then decreased. The results showed that F. oxysporum and V. dahlia showed pathogenicity to S. miltiorrhiza and could strongly induce systemic resistance. In terms of the above indexes, F. oxysporum was superior to V. dahlia.

The Association of Health-Related Factors with Leisure-Time Physical Activity among Adults with COPD: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

This study aimed to examine the association of health attitudes, health appraisals and affective experience to leisure-time physical activity in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cross-sectional analyses were conducted with a sample of 274 adults with COPD drawn from the second wave of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 2) Study. Chi-square analyses and independent t-tests were used to test the differences between physically active and inactive COPD patients (active group versus inactive group) for all study variables. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association of each study variable with leisure-time physical activity. The results showed that there were significant differences between the active and inactive groups in terms of age, education, functional limitations, health attitudes, health appraisals and affective experience. After controlling for socio-demographic variables and functional limitations, beliefs about the importance of physical fitness and strength for a good life and comparative health appraisals were significantly related to physical activity. However, neither negative nor positive affect was associated with physical activity status. Modifiable factors, such as health attitudes toward physical fitness and strength, as well as health appraisals, should be considered for developing effective physical activity promotion interventions among COPD patients.

[Effects of interaction between ubiquitin/26S proteasome inhibitor MG132 and mycorrhiza on growth and effective components of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

Ubiquitin/26 S proteasome system(UPS) is one of the main ways to regulate the degradation of proteins in plants, and plays an important role in physiological processes such as secondary metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction. As indicated recently, UPS is involved in plant-microbe interactions, and presumably regulates arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis to affect its effects. This study investigated the effects of interaction between Cbz-leu-leu-leucinal(MG132) and the mycorrhiza on the growth and effective components of Salvia miltiorrhiza by inoculation with Glomus intraradices and spraying MG132 solution. The results showed that the inoculation with G. intraradices could promote the growth of S. miltiorrhiza, increase the accumulation of effective components in the aerial and underground parts, and decrease the relative expression level of JMT. Additionally, MG132 could strengthen the growth-promoting effect of G. intraradices. As compared with the control group, the inoculation with G. intraradices could significantly increase aerial and underground fresh weights by 267% and 95%, respectively, under the treatment with MG132 spraying, while under the MG132 spraying-free condition, the increase was 195% and 32%, respectively. Meanwhile, MG132 spraying could enhance the promotion of mycorrhizal fungi on the accumulation of active components of S. miltiorrhiza. On the other hand, regardless of inoculation with G. intraradices or not, MG132 treatment could promote the root division of S. miltiorrhiza, reduce the content of effective components in the aerial parts, and increase the content in the underground part. The inoculation with G. intraradices could alleviate the inhibitory effect of MG132 on the accumulation of effective components in the aerial part of S. miltiorrhiza. The results show that arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF) can promote the growth of S. miltiorrhiza and the accumulation of effective components, and MG132 treatment can strengthen such promotion effect, which lays a foundation for the application of MG132 in the mycorrhizal cultivation of S. miltiorrhiza in the future.

Salvia miltiorrhiza-asarum ointment combined with Chinese medical massage alleviates symptoms of osteoarthritis in a rat model through the Notch1/ matrix metalloproteinase-13 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effect of salvia miltiorrhiza-asarum ointment (SMAO) plus Chinese medical massage on knee osteoarthritis in a rat model. METHODS: Hulth's method was used to establish a Sprague-Dawley rat model of knee osteoarthritis (OA). The levels of matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), collagen-II, aggrecan, interleukin (IL)-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-6 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The joint space was assessed by a Perlove X-ray system. Histopathology was examined by hematoxylin-eosin and Safranin O staining. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Notch1, MMP-13, collagen-II, and aggrecan were measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: SMAO plus Chinese medical massage significantly decreased the levels of MMP-13, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-6, and increased serum collagen-II and aggrecan levels. Pathological injury of the knee joint was improved by SMAO treatment. mRNA and protein expression of Notch1 and MMP-13 was remarkably downregulated, but collagen-II and aggrecan levels were significantly upregulated in cartilage tissues. CONCLUSION: SMAO combined with Chinese medical massage effectively relieves OA symptoms, which may involve inhibiting inflammation through the Notch1/MMP-13 signaling pathway.

[Study on tanshinones regulating root-associated microbiomes of Salvia miltiorrhiza].

The plant root-associated microbiomes include root microbiome and rhizosphere microbiome, which are closely related to plant life activities. Nearly 30% of photosynthesis products of plants are used to synthesize root compounds, there is evidence that root compounds regulate and significantly affect the root microbiome Tanshinones are the main hydrophobic components in Salvia miltiorrhiza. In order to study whether these compounds can regulate the root-associated microbiomes of S. miltiorrhiza, our study first identified a white root S. miltiorrhiza(BG) which contains little tanshinones. Retain of the fifth intron of tanshinones synthesis key enzyme gene SmCPS1 leading to the early termination of the SmCPS1 gene, and a stable white root phenotype. Further, wild type(WT) and BG were planted in greenhouse with nutrient soil(Pindstrup, Denmark) and Shandong soil(collected from the S. miltiorrhiza base in Weifang, Shandong), then high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the root-associated microbiomes. The results showed that the tanshinones significantly affected the root-associated microbiomes of S. miltiorrhiza, and the impact on root microbiomes was more significant. There are significant differences between WT and BG root microbiomes in species richness, dominant strains and co-occurrence network. Tanshinones have a certain repelling effect on Bacilli which belongs to Gram-positive, while specifically attract some Gram-negative bacteria such as Betaproteobacteria and some specific genus of Alphaproteobacteria. This study determined the important role of tanshinones in regulating the structure of root-associated microbiomes from multiple angles, and shed a light for further improving the quality and yield of S. miltiorrhiza through microenvironment regulation.

CAR directs T cell adaptation to bile acids in the small intestine.

Bile acids are lipid-emulsifying metabolites synthesized in hepatocytes and maintained in vivo through enterohepatic circulation between the liver and small intestine1. As detergents, bile acids can cause toxicity and inflammation in enterohepatic tissues2. Nuclear receptors maintain bile acid homeostasis in hepatocytes and enterocytes3, but it is unclear how mucosal immune cells tolerate high concentrations of bile acids in the small intestine lamina propria (siLP). CD4+ T effector (Teff) cells upregulate expression of the xenobiotic transporter MDR1 (encoded by Abcb1a) in the siLP to prevent bile acid toxicity and suppress Crohn's disease-like small bowel inflammation4. Here we identify the nuclear xenobiotic receptor CAR (encoded by Nr1i3) as a regulator of MDR1 expression in T cells that can safeguard against bile acid toxicity and inflammation in the mouse small intestine. Activation of CAR induced large-scale transcriptional reprogramming in Teff cells that infiltrated the siLP, but not the colon. CAR induced the expression of not only detoxifying enzymes and transporters in siLP Teff cells, as in hepatocytes, but also the key anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Accordingly, CAR deficiency in T cells exacerbated bile acid-driven ileitis in T cell-reconstituted Rag1-/- or Rag2-/- mice, whereas pharmacological activation of CAR suppressed it. These data suggest that CAR acts locally in T cells that infiltrate the small intestine to detoxify bile acids and resolve inflammation. Activation of this program offers an unexpected strategy to treat small bowel Crohn's disease and defines lymphocyte sub-specialization in the small intestine.

Dose-Response Association of Tai Chi and Cognition among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Previous studies indicated that Tai Chi might be an effective way to improve or prevent cognitive impairments in older populations. However, existing research does not provide clear recommendations about the optimal dose of Tai Chi practice, which is the most effective in improving cognitive function in older adults. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the dose-response relationship between Tai Chi and cognition in community-dwelling older adults. A total of 16 studies with 1121 subjects were included in this study. Meta-regression analyses of Tai Chi duration (Tai Chi session duration, Tai Chi practice duration per week, study duration, and Tai Chi practice duration for the entire study) on the study effect size (ES) were performed to examine the dose-response association of Tai Chi and cognition. The results showed that there was a positive effect of Tai Chi on cognitive function, but there were no statistically significant dose duration effects on cognition. The findings suggest that Tai Chi has beneficial effects on cognitive function, but a longer duration was not associated with larger effects. In order to establish evidence-based clinical interventions using Tai Chi, future research should clearly demonstrate intervention protocol, particularly the style and intensity of Tai Chi.

[Effect of different fungicides on efficiency of mycorrhizal symbiosis on Salvia miltiorrhiza].

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi provided is beneficial to Salvia miltiorrhiza for increasing yield, promoting the accumulation of active ingredients, and alleviating S. miltiorrhiza disease etc. However, the application of fungicides will affect the benefit of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and there is little research about it. This article study the effect of four different fungicides: carbendazim, polyoxin, methyl mopazine, and mancozeb on mycorrhiza benefit to S. miltiorrhiza by the infection intensity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, the growth of S. miltiorrhiza, and the content of active ingredients. RESULTS:: showed that different fungicides had different effects. The application of mancozeb had the strongest inhibitory effect on the mycorrhizal benefit to S. miltiorrhiza. Mancozeb significantly reduced the mycorrhizal colonization and the beneficial effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the growth and the accumulation of active components of S. miltiorrhiza. The application of polyoxin had no significant effect on mycorrhizal colonization. Instead, it had a synergistic effect with the mycorrhizal benefit to promoting the growth and accumulation of rosmarinic acid of S. miltiorrhiza. The inhibitory strengths of four fungicides are: mancozeb>thiophanate methyl, carbendazim>polyoxin. Therefore, we recommend applying biological fungicides polyoxin and avoid applying chemical fungicides mancozeb for disease control during mycorrhizal cultivation of S. miltiorrhiza.

Genomic insight into diet adaptation in the biological control agent Cryptolaemus montrouzieri.

BACKGROUND: The ladybird beetle Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant, 1853 (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) is used worldwide as a biological control agent. It is a predator of various mealybug pests, but it also feeds on alternative prey and can be reared on artificial diets. Relatively little is known about the underlying genetic adaptations of its feeding habits. RESULTS: We report the first high-quality genome sequence for C. montrouzieri. We found that the gene families encoding chemosensors and digestive and detoxifying enzymes among others were significantly expanded or contracted in C. montrouzieri in comparison to published genomes of other beetles. Comparisons of diet-specific larval development, survival and transcriptome profiling demonstrated that differentially expressed genes on unnatural diets as compared to natural prey were enriched in pathways of nutrient metabolism, indicating that the lower performance on the tested diets was caused by nutritional deficiencies. Remarkably, the C. montrouzieri genome also showed a significant expansion in an immune effector gene family. Some of the immune effector genes were dramatically downregulated when larvae were fed unnatural diets. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the evolution of genes related to chemosensing, digestion, and detoxification but also immunity might be associated with diet adaptation of an insect predator. These findings help explain why this predatory ladybird has become a successful biological control agent and will enable the optimization of its mass rearing and use in biological control programs.

Horizontally acquired antibacterial genes associated with adaptive radiation of ladybird beetles.

BACKGROUND: Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has been documented in many herbivorous insects, conferring the ability to digest plant material and promoting their remarkable ecological diversification. Previous reports suggest HGT of antibacterial enzymes may have contributed to the insect immune response and limit bacterial growth. Carnivorous insects also display many evolutionary successful lineages, but in contrast to the plant feeders, the potential role of HGTs has been less well-studied. RESULTS: Using genomic and transcriptomic data from 38 species of ladybird beetles, we identified a set of bacterial cell wall hydrolase (cwh) genes acquired by this group of beetles. Infection with Bacillus subtilis led to upregulated expression of these ladybird cwh genes, and their recombinantly produced proteins limited bacterial proliferation. Moreover, RNAi-mediated cwh knockdown led to downregulation of other antibacterial genes, indicating a role in antibacterial immune defense. cwh genes are rare in eukaryotes, but have been maintained in all tested Coccinellinae species, suggesting that this putative immune-related HGT event played a role in the evolution of this speciose subfamily of predominant predatory ladybirds. CONCLUSION: Our work demonstrates that, in a manner analogous to HGT-facilitated plant feeding, enhanced immunity through HGT might have played a key role in the prey adaptation and niche expansion that promoted the diversification of carnivorous beetle lineages. We believe that this represents the first example of immune-related HGT in carnivorous insects with an association with a subsequent successful species radiation.

Associations of Lifestyle Intervention Effect with Blood Pressure and Physical Activity among Community-Dwelling Older Americans with Hypertension in Southern California.

A healthy lifestyle and regular physical activity are highly recommended for older adults. However, there has been limited research into testing lifestyle intervention effects on physical activity in older adults with hypertension. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of lifestyle intervention effects with physical activity and blood pressure in older adults with hypertension, accounting for social support and perceived stress as control variables. This study performed a secondary analysis of a two-arm randomized controlled trial. A total of 196 participants were randomly assigned to a six-month lifestyle intervention group or a control group. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that lifestyle intervention effects were not significantly associated with improvements in physical activity and blood pressure, but the final regression models were statistically significant (all p < 0.001). The result revealed that only physical activity frequency at baseline was significantly related to improvement in physical activity. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) at baseline and monthly income were significantly associated with change in SBP, while age and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at baseline were significantly related to change in DBP. The findings provide empirical evidence for developing and optimizing lifestyle interventions for future research and clinical practice in this population.